Folding machine



- P. R. GLASS FOLDING MACHINE Oct. 23, 1934.

Filedpr'il 26, 1932 l VEN rafa P R. e.

Patented Oct. 23, 1934' UNITED STATES 1,977,903 FOLDING MACHINE Perley R'. Glass, Salem, Mass., assignor to United Shoe lMachinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 26, 1932, Serial No. 607,574

10 Claims. (Cl. 154-41)l This invention relates to folding machines and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine particularly adapted to foldthe projecting margins of the covers of book cases and similar articles over the edges of the boards or backing upon which the covers are mounted.

A partly finished book case ready to be folded commonly comprises a flexible cover having attached thereto by an adhesive two boards of rectangular outline, these boards being of such size and so located thatvthe margins of the cover project beyond the edges of the boards. There is a coat ofadhesive substancev upon thesel projecting margins, so that they will adhere to the boards after the folding operation. "It ,is desirable that these four margins should be drawn tightly about the edges of the boards and that a tuck should be formed in the margins adjacent to the corners so that the folded square corners may be as smooth and neatly folded as possible. In order to insurethat the margins of the cover along the top, bottom and en'd edges of the book case shall be folded smoothly about the edges of the boards, there is provided, according to one feature of the invention, awork support; a folder movable over the support, and an abutment at the forward end of the folder having a face inclined upwardly from the plane of the work support down which the margin of the cover may be wiped when presentedto the machine, and an edge guide below the abutment. Thus, when the work is presented to the machine, the margin of the cover is given a preliminary pull about the adjacent edge of the boards and the edge ofthe work is pushed against the 'edge guide. Thereafter the folder moves over the work support'to fold the margin of the cover smoothly over upon the margin of the boards.

In order to insure smooth folds at the square corners of the finished case, there is provided, according to another feature of the invention, a tucker located at one end of the abutment referred to above so that, while the margin along .one edge of the'case isbeing folded, a tuck is made in an endof an adjacent margin which extends beyond the boards, this tuck facilitating the formation of a smoothly folded, square corner when said adjoining margin is folded. v

These and other features of' the invention, including certain details 'of construction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied in an illustrated machineand'pointedout in the appended claims. i

Referring now to the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a' portion of a machine in which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of the machine; and

Fig.` 3 is a detail in perspective showing more particularly the effect produced by one ofthe tuckers. l The machine is in many respects like that described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,776,390, granted September 23, 1930 upon an application filed in the names ofPerley R. Glass and James E. McIntire'; and before proceeding to describe the new construction in detail, the old construction will be briefly set forth. The machine has two folding mechanisms, one for round corners and the other for straight edges, the latter mechanism being adapted to produce square corners on a book case, if the folding is all done by this latter mechanism.` The` round corner folding mechanism, indicated as awhole at A, may be the same as in the patented machine and will not be described since it forms no part of the present invention. 1

The vstraight edge or square corner folding mechanism comprises a work support 5, a folder '7, andan edge guide 9. In the patented machine the edge guide is continuous and rigid with the stationary member 1l, but inthe present machineit is formed of a plurality of removable and replaceable sections adjustable along the edge of the member 11 and each `held in adjusted position by a screw which passes through a slot in each section and is threaded into the member l1, one-of these screws being shown at 13 in Fig. 2. 'In folding the margins along the four straight edges of a book case having square- -corneredboards the portion adjacent to one edge of the case is placed upon the worksupport 5, with thev margin of the cover bent up against the forward edge of the folder. The folder then moves forward to fold the bent-up margin, of the cover over the edge and margin of the board, and there pauses. The work support is first moved upto press the fold against the under side of the folder and is then lowered to release `the fold, after which the folder is withdrawn.

After the margin along one edge of the cover (for example the margin along the top of the cover) has thus been folded, the opposite margin (along the bottom of the cover) is folded in the same manner; and then the two other margins (the end margins) are folded. It thus requires four operations to complete the folding operation upon a square cornered book case. 'Ihe machine, asl thus far described, with the exception of the sectional edge guide, isyor maybe, the same as the patented machine; and reference is made to the patent for a description of parts of the machine not shown or described including the mechanism for operating the folder and the work support..

The present machine has an abutment carried adjustably on the forward edge of the folder 7 which facilitates the proper presentation of the work to the machine. In the illustrated machine,

cli

this abutment consists of a. plurality of sections in the form of blocks 15, each having a dovetailed guideway in its base to receive a complementary shaped rib 17 formed upon the forward edge of the folder 7. rlhe blocks are thus adjustable along the edge of the folder and are held in adjusted position by set screws 19 which are threaded through the blocks and bear against the rib .17. These blocks, which form sections of the abutment, are also removable and replaceable since they may be slid off from or placed upon the rib 17 when desired. As will presently appear, it is desirable under some circumstances that the length of the abutment, that is the distance from the outer face of one end block to the outer face of the other end block,`be substantially equal to the distance from one square corner of the boards of a book case to another square corner. By making the blocks 15, which form the abutment, removable and replaceable as Well as adjustable it is possible to provide abutments of different lengths .so as to take care of book cases of different dimensions. It is not necessary that the blocks of the abutment should be in contact end to end with one another. They may be spaced apart considerably, as shown in Fig. l., provided these spaces are not too great.

As best shown in Fig. 2, each block of the sectional abutment has a face 21 .which ris incl-ined upwardly and outward-ly from the plane of the work-support 5. When an unfolded book case comprising boards, one of which is shown at 100, and a flexible cover 2O() having a margin which projects beyond the edges of the boards, is to lbe presented to thernac'hine, the projecting margin of the cover 200 iswiped down the inclined face 21 of the abutment, as indicated in Fig. 2, and finally what will be the finished folded edge of the case is `pushed against the edge guide '9. A book case, in the process of having one of its projecting margins wiped down the face 21 of the abutment is shown in dotted lines, the nafl position of presentation of therbook case being shown in full lines. In this iinal position of presentation to the machine it will be noted that the projecting margin of the cover has been bent something more than nine-ty degrees about the edge of the board by reason of the fact that the abutment, madeup Iof the blocks 15, overhangs the edge guide V9. It will also be noted that the lower forward portion of each block 15 of the abutment is rounded so as to facilitate thelmanner of .presentation of the Work which has been described above. After the book case has been presented to the machine in the manner just described, the machine is caused to go through one cycle during which the folder.

moves forward (to the 'left in Fig. 2) to fold the `margin of 'the cover over /upon Vthe boards,

. the work support 5 rises to press the fold against the under face of the folder, thework support is then lowered to release the fold, and na'lly the folder is withdrawn into its normal position of rest as it is shown Tin .Fig 2. Y

When folding the projecting kmargin of `the cover of a book case or similar article, the boards of which have square corners, it is customary first to fold the projecting margins vover 'two of the opposite edges of the boards, for 4exam-ple the top and bottom edges, and then to .fold the projecting margins over the other two opposite edges of the boards, for example the 'end edges. In order to facilitate the formation fof 'smoothly folded corners, the machine is provided with so- -1 called "tuckers 23 and 25 one at each lend of the row of blocks 15 which form the abutment referred to above. .Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 wherein the tucker 25 is shown, this tucker comprises a bent plate one leg of Which extends horizontally beneath the folder 7, fthe upwardly extending leg of the tucker being fastened by screws 27 to a base 29 which is slidably mounted on the dovetailed rib 17 of the folder 'l and held in adjusted position by a set-screw31. The lother tucker 23 is like the tucker `25 and mounted in the same manner.

After the `blocks 15 have been adjusted into such positions that the distance from the outer vertical face of one end block to the outer vertical face of the other end block is equal to the length of the boards along the top of the book case, the tuckers 23, 25 are adjusted respectively into positions closeto the outer faces of ythe two endblocks, as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the folder 7 is in its retracted position L after having moved foiward and back. On its forward movement, the margin 300 of the cover was folded over an edge, for example the top edge, of lthe board 100, and the tucker 25 acted upon the extreme end portion of the margin 300, beneath which there was no board, to press this extreme 'end portion down upon the unfolded margin 400 along `one end ofthe board. When, later `this 'end margin 400 is folded there will consequently be produced a :smooth and neatly folded square corner. In order further to facilitate the formation of neatly formed square corners, it is customary to use covers having beveled 'corners the edges ofwhi'ch are at an angle of about'forty-five degrees to the adjacent straight edges ofthe 'otherwise rectangular covers. Although the description of the operation 'of the machine whichhas just been given contemplates the use 'of two tuckers, there are circumstances, for example if the piece of work to be folded is provided with Itwo square 'corners at 'one end and two round corners yat 'the other end, when only one tucker may be used during the folding of a margin.

a margin of the cover, such as the margin indicated at 400 in Fig. 43, is supported from beneath by the work support, there is a liability that, when the tucker'moves forward with the folder 7, theend portion of this margin may be crumpled. In order to avoid the possibility of such va disadvantageous occurrence, the work support may be provided with a raised portion 33 (Fig. 3), the length of which is equal to the length ofthe `abutment for-med by the blocks 1.5. The `margin 400, land `of `course the corresponding margin at the otherv end of the book case adjacent to the other tucker, is thus permitted to give a little when the tucker moves over it, Whereas .if yit were rigidly supported from,

beneath the tucker might tear -or lcrumple it. f In order to provide for pieces of work of different thicknesses -the work support comprises a plate 35 of spring steel having a plurality of tongues beneath which is a strip of rubber 37. Although the round corner folding mechanism itself forms 'no part of the present invention it should be understood that'the sectional abutnient made up 'of the blocks 15 is useful in folding portions of the margins of a round cornered bookcase the corner portions of which are folded on the round corner `fold-ing mechanism.

Although *the 'invention has kbeen set forth as embodied in a particularzmachine and described in connection withA kthe folding of a book case it should be understood 'that the linvention is not IUI) limited in the scope of its application to the particular machine which has been shown and described nor to operation upon book cases.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for folding the projecting margins of the cover of a book case or 'similar article over the edges of the boards thereof having, in combination, a work support, a folder movable over the support, an abutment at the forward end of the folder having a plane, unobstructed forward face inclined upwardly and outwardly from the plane of the support down which the margin of the cover may be wiped when presented to the machine, and an edge guide below the abutment 2. A m-achine for folding the projecting margins of the cover of a book case or similar article over the edges of the boards thereof having, in combination, a work support, a folder movable over the support, an edge guide, and an abutment carried at the forward end of the folder and having a plane, unobstructed face of considerable extent inclined to the plane of the support, said abutment overhanging the edge guide when the machine is at rest whereby one edge of an unfolded book case may be wiped down over said face and pushed against the edge guide to initiate the fold in the cover preparatory to the movement of the folder 3. A machine for folding the projecting margins of the cover of a book case or similar article over the edges of the boards thereof having, in combination, a support for the work, a folder by which the fold is made and between which and the support the fold is pressed, an abutment at the forward end of the folder having a plane, unobstructed, forward face inclined upwardly and outwardly from the plane of the support down which the work may be wiped when presented to the machine to initiate the fold, and an edge guide located beneath the abutment 4. A machine for folding the projecting margins of the cover of a book case or similar article over the edges of the boards thereof having, in combination, a support for the work, a folder by which the fold is made and between which and the support the fold is pressed, an abutment at the forward end of the folder having a'plane, unobstructed forward face inclined upwardly and outwardly from the plane of the support down which the projecting margin of a cover may be wiped when presented to the machine to initiate the fold, and an edge guide located beneath the abutment, said abutment consisting of a plurality of sections adjustable along the forward edge of the folder, said sections being adjusted into positions in which they are close enough to one another so that the projecting margin of the cover, during the wiping action,

is supported in the plane of the face of the abutment and is prevented from bending into the spaces between the sections.

5. A machine for folding the projecting margins of the cover of a book case or similar article over the edges of the boards thereof, having, in combination, a work support, a folder by which the fold is made and between which and the support the fold is pressed, a plurality of blocks mounted on the forward portion of the folder for adjustment along the forward edge of the folder, a tucker adjustably mounted on the folder at one end of the plurality of blocks, and an edge guide -support mounted on the forward portion of the folder for adjustment along the forward edge vof the folder, a tucker adjustably mounted on the folder at one end of the plurality of blocks, and an edge guide comprising a plurality ofsections mounted upon the frame beneath the folder for adjustment in a path parallel to that of the blocks and the tucker.

7. A machine for folding the projecting margins of the cover of a book case over the edges of the boards thereof having, in combination, a

work support, a folder by which the fold is made i and between which and the support the fold is pressed, a plurality of blocks mounted on the forward portion of the folder for adjustment along the forward edge of the folder, two tuckers adjustably mounted on the folder one at each end of the plurality of blocks, and an edge guide comprising a plurality of sections mounted upon the frame beneath the folder for adjustment in a path parallel to that of the blocks and the tuckers.

8. A machine for folding the projecting margins of the cover of a book case over the edges of the boards thereof having, in combination, a work support, a folder by which the fold is made and between which and the support the fold is pressed, a plurality of blocks having faces inclined upwardly at an angle to the support mounted on the forward portion of the folder for adjustment along the forward edge of the folder, two tuckers adjustably mounted on the folder one at each end of the plurality of blocks,v

and an edge guide comprising a plurality of sections mounted upon the framebeneath the folder for adjustment in a path parallel to that of the blocks and the tuckers. Y

9. A machine for folding the projecting margins of the cover of a book case over the edges of the boards thereof having, in combination, a work support, a folder movable over the support, and a tucker carried by the folder, said work support having a thin flat work supporting portion one edge of which registers substantially with an edge of the tucker.

10. A- machine for folding one at a time the four margins of the cover of a book case blank which project beyond the edges of the boards having, in combination, a work support, a folder movable over'the support, said folder compris` ing a comparatively thin plate and a comparatively thick abutment adjustably fastened thereto at its forward end, said abutment having a face inclined upwardly and outwardly from the plane of the support and having a rounded lower edge, and an edge guide below the abutment, there being a free and unobstructed space in front of the abutment and above'the Work support to permit that portion of the projecting margin of the cover which is adjacent to an edge of a board to be pressed against the inclned face of the abutment, wiped down over said face and pressed against the edge guide when the book case blank is presented to the machine. PERLEY R. GLASS.

lil@

its

rsu 

